Chapter 64 Chapter 64 You are so cold to me.
When Su Cheng woke up, it was morning again.
The dawn light streamed into the house through the half-open floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the elegantly decorated room and giving the gilded wallpaper and wall frames a lustrous sheen.
The arched window was half-draped with a bead curtain, and the crystal beads swayed in the wind, filtering the rosy morning mist in the garden into a hazy halo.
Roses, lilies, and irises spread their petals, and dewdrops rolled down the tips of their leaves.
In the middle of the courtyard, a white marble fountain was gurgling with clear water sounds, and a few pigeons were perched by the pool.
"…Good morning, Your Excellency."
A young man carrying a tray entered the room and bowed gracefully to her.
"His Excellency the Archbishop has asked me to bring you breakfast."
This man was also dressed as a clergyman and looked like an ordinary priest.
Su Cheng immediately realized that he was on the territory of the Holy See, and couldn't help but review what had happened before.
"Archbishop," Su Cheng thought for a moment, "Is it His Excellency Johnson?"
The pastor nodded. “Yes.”
He didn't seem surprised at all that she knew the Archbishop's last name right away.
The Holy See has its own method of planning districts.
With the capital as the center, dozens of surrounding towns radiate outward, forming the largest Belia Diocese in the empire.
Its diocesan archbishop, Flavia Johnson, served in the Order of the Holy Knights for many years and later served as the head of several dioceses. She can be said to have rich experience.
Now she is the highest representative of the Holy See in the imperial capital. It is said that she has a very close relationship with the emperor himself and is also a member of the Imperial Council.
And he is also a follower of the Sun God.
The two main gods, the Sun God and the Moon God, are somewhat different from the other main gods.
The other main gods are allies of the God of Light. Perhaps they actually follow his lead because they dare not disobey this supreme god, but they are indeed allies in name only.
But the Sun and Moon God actually obeys the God of Light.
Because the source of their power is exactly the same as the attributes of the God of Light, it is said that their power was bestowed by the Supreme God.
Compared with other secondary gods, the only difference is that these two are stronger as main gods.
Therefore, almost all of the gods’ favored ones in the Holy See belong to the Seven Gods of Glory and the Sun and Moon Gods, but the latter are even fewer in number.
all in all--
This Archbishop is extremely famous, and anyone who has a little knowledge of the core circle of the empire must know him.
"Thank you." Su Cheng took the exquisite silver tray. "My friend, Miss Ferguson, is she awake? Or do you not know?"
"You're welcome," the pastor said with a smile. "She has recovered from her injuries and came to see you last night."
There was honey toast on a porcelain plate, with a golden and crispy crust dotted with almond slices. Next to it was a three-compartment jam plate with strawberry, blueberry and orange jam, and the fruit grains were plump and translucent.
The bowl contained oatmeal porridge with milk, which was still warm and fragrant. There was freshly squeezed orange juice in the crystal glass. There was a plate of fruit in the corner of the tray, including cut honeydew melon, grapes and pears.
Su Cheng took a bite of the bread and said, "...Every time I eat at the Vatican, I have the urge to join in right there."
The priest looked at her in surprise, as if unsure whether this was a joke or serious, and either way it seemed to surprise him.
"Why did I lie down for so long? I don't think I was injured?"
"I'm sorry, I don't know, sir."
Su Cheng no longer made things difficult for him.
She quickly finished her delicious breakfast and walked out of the room. Outside was a semi-open corridor with purple vines climbing up the pillars and dome, weaving into a magnificent waterfall.
Three young blond men were standing in the corridor talking.
They were all tall and handsome, their upright figures outlined by their gorgeous uniforms, and the scene looked extremely pleasing to the eye.
The three of them turned back one after another.
She had met both of them.
"Good day," Su Cheng greeted the stranger first. "Mr. Johnson, thank you for the breakfast."
Flavia smiled at her, "Good morning, how did you sleep?"
The highest official of the Holy See stationed in the imperial capital also has a good-looking face with blond hair and blue eyes. He looks very handsome and friendly now.
"Very good," Su Cheng looked at the other two people, "Speaking of sleeping——"
Her eyes immediately fixed on one of them.
A few seconds passed.
Su Cheng coughed lightly and greeted another person first, "Mr. White."
Zhan En smiled at her and said, "I hope you have a safe journey."
Su Cheng then looked into those pale golden eyes again, "Mr. Yian, long time no see."
The blond, golden-eyed young man nodded to her, looking neither excited nor surprised, his posture as reserved as ever.
Su Cheng wanted to say something but stopped himself, feeling that many words were stuck in his throat.
The two of them had only met once, in the Temple of Jinpo City, when he came to teach her how to improve her mental strength by practicing magic.
At that time, she was stunned by the other person's appearance and even spilled the juice.
Now--
He seemed a little standoffish.
Although he seemed to have this kind of personality, Su Cheng didn't expect him to be very enthusiastic.
Su Cheng cheered up and greeted Flavia first.
This Archbishop is quite old. Not only can he be a grandmother to himself, but he is also more than qualified to be a grandmother to his step-uncle.
He speaks gently and considerately, without the slightest hint of arrogance or arrogance. He seems to be caring about the younger generation and makes people feel respected.
Just a few words can make people lose their minds.
Although he knew that all archbishops had this ability, and this one must be a leader since he could serve in the imperial capital, Su Cheng was still a little confused.
I wish I could recognize her as my godmother right then and there.
The two talked for a while, and Su Cheng basically understood the situation.
——The reason why I slept for most of the day was entirely because I had overdrawn my energy before.
The monster's strength was far greater than she had imagined, and the attacks it launched were not something her body could easily withstand.
She took the monster's attack and exhausted all her fighting spirit.
This exhaustion is not just the kind of physical exhaustion that comes from ordinary training.
But it is because of external stimuli.
Under the body's instinctive reaction of survival, all the fighting spirit was drained away, including some that were deeply integrated into the body.
This caused her to need sleep to recover.
Su Cheng was very surprised.
She could feel that her condition was quite good, her fighting spirit was abundant and circulating smoothly. If she compared it carefully, the total amount of fighting spirit was even more than before.
In fact, each practice may bring a little bit of growth, especially for someone at her stage.
However, it is difficult for most people to feel this improvement. It often takes several months or even one or two years, and only through comparison of actual results can clear progress be seen.
Now she can feel it herself, which means that this progress is by no means insignificant.
"It's like mental training. Every time I endure the pain of overdrawing, I can always make progress."
The archbishop in front of him explained briefly.
Of course, it is easy, or relatively easy, to reach this level of mental strength, but it is different with fighting spirit.
"Not every Dou Qi can do this," Flavia said with a smile. "It has to do with the attributes, the cultivation method, and the characteristics of the Dou Qi itself."
In this situation, some fighting spirit will not be extracted to protect the body, but may directly cause disorder in the body, leading to broken meridians or even death.
The archbishop did not ask too many questions, but simply expressed his appreciation and left time for them to reminisce about the past.
After saying that, he left.
Su Cheng watched her leave before looking at the other two blond men, "...So, gentlemen, why are you in the imperial capital?"
Zhan En glanced at Ian and said, "We are not all here for the same reason. I am only here to attend the meeting. There have been heretical activities in many places in the Northern Continent."
Su Cheng immediately thought of the Gawler family, "They're not new, are they?"
Her words were a bit rude. After all, the family's behavior had lasted for decades and was related to the bribery of priests in the local temple.
Zhan En, however, showed no anger. "It is true that I neglected this matter, but I am not talking about a similar incident—"
"Oh," Su Cheng blinked, "that monster, I saw the mark on his chest, is it related to any god?"
Zhan En nodded slightly. "The Eternal Night Cult sent a group of sorcerers to infiltrate the Northern Continent, disguised as engravers."
In name, it was to mark people and increase the level of elemental resonance, but in reality, it was to use special methods to inject the blessings of the gods under the Dark God into their bodies.
This is very different from those favored by God.
But it can still give people strength.
but--
Leaving aside the others, the power of the Seven Gods of Sin cannot be triggered by just anyone.
"We still need qualified individuals, but the requirements aren't as stringent as for those favored by God. Just a little bit of compliance is enough, even if it's just for that moment."
Zhan En thought for a moment and said, "From what your classmate described, it's possible that the situation was caused by the influence of the God of Jealousy or the God of Anger. As long as the person's emotions are in an overly intense and extreme state for a short period of time, the relevant power can be exerted. However, you must know that the favored ones of these two lesser gods are not just jealous or irritable. The same is true for the other lesser gods."
Su Cheng nodded, "I understand. Just like there are many lustful people, there are very few who can truly become the gods of lust."
Ian raised his eyebrows slightly, and the expression on his unrealistically handsome face became a little subtle.
Su Cheng had been secretly paying attention to him, and seeing this, he couldn't help but ask, "Do you have anything to add?"
"I have heard," Ian said calmly, "that there is someone in front of me who once had such an opportunity."
Su Cheng frowned, "Is this why you are so cold to me?"
She regretted it as soon as she said it.
What bullshit is this!
It seems like she cares a lot about the other person's attitude. Well, she may care a little, but it is definitely not a very important issue.
Zhan En took a step back almost silently.
Su Cheng didn't notice the archbishop's expression, nor did he see his conflicted look as if he wanted to escape from the scene.
She was still looking at Ian.
The latter's reaction was quite calm, without any embarrassment, shame or disdain, but instead showed a little doubt.
"Am I being standoffish?"
The beautiful young man with blond hair and golden eyes spoke softly, his voice as sweet as the sound of nature, "How do you think I should react to receive the opposite evaluation?"
Su Cheng always felt that this was a trap.
She thought for a moment. "Maybe—smile more? Give me a warm hug? After all, I just survived a near-death experience?"
Ian raised his eyebrows, "Is this what you wanted?"
"I didn't want it!" Su Cheng said immediately, "I was just giving examples to give you some answers that will help you understand better. Don't get confused!"
Ian glanced at her with a half-smile, "Okay, now I understand, and thank you for your explanation."
Su Cheng always felt that he was still in yin and yang.
She subconsciously looked at Zhan En.
The archbishop had already been three meters away from them without them knowing.
Su Cheng: “?”
She vaguely remembered that they were only an arm's length away from each other just now?
Su Cheng suddenly felt a little embarrassed.
But now that things have come to this, I can only pretend that nothing happened. "...So, there have been many similar cases in the Northern Continent, or the Silver Moon Empire?"
"Yes," Zhan En nodded slowly, "So far, five people have died from the collapse of their bodies after the explosion of power."
Not everyone can maintain that state for a long time, and the length of time is directly related to one's strength.
"Besides that, there are some people who have even stronger control and can regress from that 'monster' state into a human form, and even managed to escape capture once."
"Oh, it sounds like he was finally caught. So, did you get any important information from him during the interrogation?"
"They are indeed influenced by heretical forces," the Archbishop shook his head slightly, "but they don't know what they are, and the engravers are hard to find."
After all, Su Cheng is not a clergyman, and he knows that some things are not easy to ask. The Vatican must have a plan for this.
If we discover that more dark forces are involved, we might have to consult the God of Purity - or the God of Light himself?
At some point, Zhan En quietly left.
Maybe he said goodbye, maybe he didn't.
In short, when Su Cheng raised his head, the person was gone.
She had no choice but to look at the only remaining person, "So you are here to participate in the meeting as well?"
Ian crossed his arms and looked at her, "Or maybe I'm here to show my indifference to some brave warrior who escaped death."
Su Cheng: "...Can this joke be let go?"
The blond young man lowered his eyes and looked over, his eyes, like the shadows sinking into a lake at dusk, seemed to be faintly stirring.
Su Cheng looked at him, "What's wrong?"
"When we parted last time, you mentioned the imperial capital," Ian said calmly, "I also wondered if I would meet you when I came here, but the way we met was unexpected—"
He paused. "You lay in the arms of... your companion, looking almost dead."
Su Cheng coughed lightly, "But it's just an overdraft, so it's actually okay, right?"
"...and the aura around you is a little different from last time."
He continued to speak to himself in an indistinguishable tone, and did not seem particularly happy.
It seemed as if this fact made him feel uncomfortable.
breath?
Su Cheng rolled his eyes and almost blurted out to ask if he was an orc, the kind with a keen sense of smell who could smell some smells that ordinary humans could not perceive.
But from his appearance, he doesn't have any characteristics of an orc.
This might be true of some orc-human hybrids, but such hybrids are almost indistinguishable from humans.
Anyone who still has sensitive senses and inherits some orc traits will generally show some signs of this in their appearance.
On second thought, there are many masters in the Holy See, many of whom have high martial arts skills, but there are also many who are proficient in various strange spells. Who knows what is going on with the person in front of him.
Judging from the way he spoke to the two archbishops, he was obviously not an ordinary priest.
"For example?" Su Cheng said uncertainly, "How was I last time, and how am I now?"
Ian tilted his head slightly, "Chaos. I can sense that you've 'come into contact' with more people, but, it doesn't matter—"
He raised the corners of his mouth to smile, and faint dimples appeared on his cheeks.
This smile was still very stunning, just like the morning sun breaking through the clouds and pouring down on the frozen soil of the snowfield.
"I can also give you a cleansing."
The blond youth stared at her intently. "You should know that there is still some bad aura remaining in you. Some heretics may mistake you for one of their own kind."
Su Cheng naturally thought it was the monster from before.
Her injuries, both internal and external, had naturally healed completely, but this so-called aura was another matter.
After all, I am not a clergyman, and those who possess the power of light will be more sensitive to dark attributes.
"Okay," Su Cheng nodded, "How do we do it?"
The blond young man raised his hand slightly, and a light golden mist shone between his slender fingers.
His fingertips brushed the side of her face and passed under her ear, very close but accurate, without touching her skin at all.
Only a burning heat remained.
He lifted her hair, his movements very gently, and the curly black hair flowed like water between his fingers.
Ian gently stroked the smooth hair, his fingertips passing through and landing on the black necklace around the girl's neck.
The pendant was sunken into the collar, with only a vague outline visible through the thin fabric.
"Some powers can parasitize any part of your body—"
He lowered his eyes for a moment.
"hair."
His fingers still didn't touch her, just ruffled the hair.
Su Cheng could feel the heat radiating from their skin. For a moment she even felt cold, longing for more real touch.
Ian seemed to still maintain politeness, keeping that last bit of distance.
"trunk."
He stretched out his arm, his fingertips resting on the back of her collar, moving slightly downward along the thin fabric. The scorching touch burned all the way along her spine to her tailbone.
The large palm suddenly covered the lower back.
But there was still a layer of clothes between them, not completely touching the skin.
"Or more secretly—"
The heat began to burn downwards.
Still calmly, he said, "... somewhere wetter."
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